IN HIS latest attack on the Keens, Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Andrew Dakers states that Brentford & Isleworth Labour MP Ann Keen did not

attend any hustings meetings during the last general election campaign (Chronicle, May 29).

Councillor Dakers claims that this shows 'a complete refusal to engage with the democratic process'.

How wrong he is. All it illustrates is that Ann Keen likes to get out on the doorstep and meet real people (as opposed to meeting the political anoraks who attend election rallies).

As an intelligent and committed MP Ann knows full well that she can meet far more voters canvassing down Kingsley Road in one evening than she could ever meet by attending a debate with the other candidates.

On top of this, she knows that hustings meetings are usually attended by party activists who are already committed to one of the parties.

The last Tory MP for Brentford & Isleworth, Nirj Deva, knew this fact as well. In the 1992 general election campaign, he too was criticised for not attending hustings meetings - but he still went on to win by 2,000 votes.